The Love Withstanding
by empop
Summary: Ron finally professes his love for Hermione at the burrow the day of Bill and Fleur's wedding. But, will Hermione accept his lame apology for the way he acted last year? And, is their love really meant to be?


**Author:** empop  
**Title:** The Love Withstanding: Decisions  
**Category:** Ron/Hermione  
**Genres:**  
**Rating:** G-PG  
**Characters:**   
**Summary:** Ron and Hermoine finally profess their love for each other before Bill and Fleur's wedding at the Burrow and Ron must choose between the love he feels towards Hermoine and the loyalties he has to his best friend, Harry.  
Validate Delete Yes Letter No Letter

Ron awoke with a start to a loud bang from downstairs. Both he and Harry jumped out of bed and flew down the stairs to find the source of the noise. What they found standing in the middle of the kitchen floor was a complete shock.

There, Remus Lupin stood. "Hello Harry – Ron. Oh, and Ginny, Hermione, Molly, and everyone else."  
The rest of the Weasleys and Hermione had joined Harry and Ron downstairs.  
"Remus, what are you doing here? I thought there was urgent business in the werewolf sanctum," said Arthur Weasley.  
"There was, some of them have already joined Voldemort. That's how it is now, people are finally realizing he has come back into power and don't want to be on the wrong side." Lupin looked as if he had just quelched an uprising. His clothes were in tatters and there were enormous bags under his eyes.

"Remus! Are you alright? You look a fright," Tonks had just come running downstairs and was now rushing to Lupin's side kissing and hugging him. Ron looked away in embarrassment, he knew the two were engaged, but did they have to display their emotions like that in public?

He quickly stole a glance at Hermoine and caught her eye. She immediately looked away. Was she thinking the same thing Ron was? Was there maybe the slightest chance that she liked him as much as he liked her? Ron wasn't exactly sure about his feelings for Hermione. With all that happened between him and Lavender the past year at Hogwarts he was afraid Hermoine would never have feelings for him. And what about Krum? Ron knew that at the end of their fourth year Krum had asked Hermoine to write to him. Were they still in correspondence? Did she have any feelings for him?

"What's going on down here?" Bill had just come down with Fleur by his side. Even in the morning, Fleur was as beautiful as ever, but somehow, Ron didn't feel the enormous longing he had for her in the past. Somehow, Ron looked at Fleur and only saw his brother's future wife.

Ron's staring at Fleur was interrupted by a huff from Hermione as she ran out of the room. "What's wrong with her?" Fred and George said together. Ron's stomach gave a sick lurch as he realized why Hermione had just rushed out. "Hermione, wait!" Ron ran out of the kitchen and out the backdoor where he found Hermione sitting on a bench near a burrowing garden gnome.

"Hermione, please I can explain – I wasn't staring at Fleur because -"  
"Oh, I know why you were staring at her Ron Weasley, and I can't believe that I thought for one second that you had changed somehow. Changed into a man instead of the selfish pig that you are and always will be!"   
"Hermione, please – I don't like Fleur – I like" At this, Hermione looked up. Her eyes were wet with tears but there was a new light in them, a hope. "I like -"  
"Hermione, are you okay?" It was Harry, but Hermione did not even acknowledge him. She continued to stare at Ron with that penetrating gaze. But Ron only stared back. Her brow furrowed and her eyes filled with hot tears of anger as she turned away.

"I like you." Hermione froze. "I've always liked you. I wasn't staring at Fleur because I like her – can't you see that Fleur was just a phase? Sure I thought she was pretty but I don't love her like I love you -" But before Ron could say another word, Hermione leapt up and kissed him.

At first, he stood frozen in shock but then immediately began to kiss Hermione back with all of the love he had felt for her for all these years. His arms caressed her shoulders and he kissed her with a furious energy, a longing that had been pent up inside for so long. Finally, the two pulled away from each other to look at Harry's gaping face. Ron smiled tentatively, a little embarrassed, then turned back to Hermione pulling her closer to him than ever as Harry ran back inside obviously too shocked and embarrassed to watch anymore.

After what seemed like an eternity, both Ron and Hermione pulled away and looked into each other's eyes, searching for some confirmation that this had actually happened.  
Yet, Hermione seemed fearful rather than pleased. "Ron, what about – I know that nothing will happen to us but – I'm scared and -"  
Ron knew she was talking about you-know-who, but the threat of him was the farthest thing from his mind at the moment.  
"Hermione, whatever happens – we'll get through it together." At this, Hermione smiled contentedly, but Ron could still detect a trace of fear in her eyes.

"Oww! My toe – I -" But the speaker was suddenly cut off by what sounded like a sharp poke in the ribs. Hermione and Ron both looked up to see the entire Weasley family and Lupin, Harry, Tonks, and Fleur staring wide-eyed at the two of them. Hermione looked away embarrassed as Ron stared fixatedly at his feet.   
"Well, umm… let me be the first to say – ummm…Congratulations!" said Lupin obviously making an effort to break the awkward silence that had gathered. Fred, red-faced, was holding his big toe in pain.  
"You and 'er! I - I 'ad no idea!" exclaimed a flustered Fleur.  
"Well, ummm…should we go inside and ummm…finish eating breakfast then?" asked Mrs. Weasley who, surprisingly, was grinning from ear to ear. Everyone nodded in agreement obviously embarrassed and followed her inside but Ginny and Harry stayed behind.

"Hermione!" screamed Ginny excitedly running with arms outstretched to her. Hermione smiled happily and let Ginny embrace her in a hug as Harry slowly walked over to Ron who was standing with his hands in his pockets with a goofy, somewhat lopsided grin on his face.  
"Wow, mate – I – umm – I didn't know – I mean I guess I always thought – oh boy," stuttered Harry. "…I guess this means you two are a couple now, huh?"  
"Yeah, I – I guess so," said Ron obviously still a little too stunned for words. He looked over at Hermoine still talking to Ginny and thought how beautiful she was.  
"Harry, what do you mean you always thought…"  
"Well, umm, I just meant that – well, you two kind of always had a thing for each other – didn't you?"

Ron was about to shout in protest when he realized that Harry was right. He guessed that he had first started having feelings for Hermoine during their third year on those quiet, solitary trips to Hogsmeade without Harry. During their fourth year, Krum had turned from the quidditch seeker Ron had always admired to someone worthy of envy and hatred when he asked Hermoine to the Yule Ball. Perhaps his jealousy towards Krum was why Ron had felt compelled to snog Lavender in front of Hermoine at every opportunity he had during their sixth and last year at Hogwarts. How could he have been so stupid? Why couldn't he have just sucked up his pride and told her how he felt? And now, all those years at Hogwarts they could've spent together were lost forever, but he would make it up to her – somehow.

"I guess you're kind of right mate," smiled Ron. But Harry did not smile in return.  
"Ron, you and Hermoine – you don't have to do this with me. You two could get hurt and I don't want that," Harry said quietly. "I don't care what happens to me but if anything ever happened to you guys -"   
"Harry – we've told you – we're in this for the long run. There's nothing you can say that will stop us from helping you." At this, Harry looked up and stared at him.  
"Do you want to end up like my parents?" But before Ron could reply, Harry stalked off. He was right of course. You-know-who was the darkest wizard of all time. And besides, this was Harry's destiny - not Ron's. Why should he endanger his life and the life of Hermoine if only out of loyalty for his friend. How could he say that? Harry was one of the most important people in his life, and Ron would not just sit back and watch Harry try to defeat you-know-who. Now, there was absolutely no doubt as to what he would do.

"Harry, wait!" Ron ran to Harry who stopped and looked back. "I'm definitely with you mate."  
At first, Harry looked as if he was going to shout in protest but instead smiled as if to say I knew you would.

"Come on back to the house – I'm starving!" said Ron and the two walked back in an understanding silence. When they reached the back steps, Hermoine looked up and smiled that wonderful smile and the four including Ginny walked back inside to the Weasley's bustling kitchen.


End file.
